Article carrier having medial partitioning struts



g 8 1967 R. E. F'LAXICO 3,334,783

ARTICLE CARRIER HAVING MEDIAL PARTITIONING STRUTS Filed Dec. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI FIG. 2

INVENTOR ROBERT E.PLAXICO BYm Z ATTORNEY 3, 1967 R. E. PLAXICO 3,334,733

ARTICLE CARRIER HAVING MEDIAL PARTITIONING STRUTS Filed Dec. 1, 1965 2 SheetsSheet 2 ENVENTOR ROBERT E.PLAXICO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,334,783 ARTICLE CARRIER HAVING MEDIAL PARTITIONING STRUTS Robert E. Plaxico, Decatur, Ga., assignor to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,851 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-113) This invention relates to article carriers having medial partitioning struts which are struck from transverse partitioning straps and which are disposed with their ends in overlapping relationship and which are secured together so as to form a medial partitioning structure immediately below the handle panels of the carrier and which not only serve as partitioning means but which also substantially strengthen the handle structure.

In article carriers of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,776,072, a partitioning panel is struck out of one of the handle panels and folded downwardly along a horizontal fold line so as to form a medial separator for the carrier in the region thereof immediately below the handle panel. Carriers of this type have met with wide commercial success and are characterized by worthwhile economy. Of course, the partitioning panel which is struck out of one of the handle panels tend to weaken that particular handle panel.

Strap style article carriers of the type disclosed, for example, in US. Patent 2,537,452 are in wide commercial use and are constructed so as to utilize material from which they are constructed in an efl'icient manner. Strap style carriers sometimes develop weaknesses in the region immediately adjacent the inner ends of the straps, i.e., at the fold lines where the straps adjoin the respective handle panels.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved medial partitioning strut for strap style article carriers without the necessity for striking a medial separating panel from one of the handle panels.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved strap style article carrier wherein significant strengthening is achieved medially of the carrier below the handle and at the general level of the straps and in this way substantially to reduce the likelihood of failure at the fold lines between the straps and the handle panels.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved article carrier handle structure wherein the handle panels are constructed of minimum area due to the fact that strength medially of the carrier is such according to this invention that ordinary handle panels may be reduced in size and substantial economies thereby effected.

An improved article carrier according to this invention comprises a first pair of handle panels secured at one end thereof to one end of the carrier, a second pair of handle panels secured at one end thereof to the other end of the carrier, said handle panels being secured together in flat face contacting relation to form a medial handle structure, transverse partitioning straps foldably joined to each of the handle panels and also interrelated with the adjacent side walls respectively, a first medial partitioning strut struck out of a transverse partitioning strap which is foldably joined to one of the first handle panels, a second medial partitioning strut struck out of a transverse partitioning strap which is foldably joined to one of the second handle panels, and means for securing said first and second medial partitioning struts together in overlapping relationship. If desired, medial partitioning struts 3,334,783 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 may be struck from the remaining transverse partitioning straps thereby to increase the bracing action medially of the carrier and to enhance the partitioning function of the partitioning struts.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set-up carrier embodying this invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier depicted in FIG. 1 is formed; and in which FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 depict stages through which the blank of FIG. 2 is manipulated in order to form the completed carrier depicted in collapsed form in FIG. 5.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a side wall of the carrier to the bottom edge of which a glue flap 2 is foldably joined along fold line 3. An end panel 4 is foldably joined along fold line 5 to one end of the side wall 1 while a similar end panel 6 is foldably joined along fold line 7 to the other end of side wall 1. A riser panel 8 is foldably joined to one edge of end wall 4 along fold line 9 and a similar riser panel 10 is foldably joined to one edge of end panel 6 along fold line 11. A first handle panel 12 is foldably joined to a second handle panel 13 along medial fold line 14 and to riser panel 8 along fold line 9.

At the other end of the carrier a second pair of handle panels designated by the numerals 15 and 16 are foldably joined together along medial fold line 17. Handle panel 15 is foldably joined to riser panel 10 along fold line 11. Hand gripping apertures 18 and 19 are formed in the first pair of handle panels 12 and 13 while similar hand gripping apertures 20 and 21 are formed respectively in the second pair of handle panels 15 and 16.

The opposite side of the carrier is similar in construction to those portions of the carrier blank described above and comprises a riser panel 22 foldably joined along fold line 23 to end panel 24 and to handle panel 13. End panel 24 is foldably joined along fold line 25 to side wall 26. In like fashion, end panel 27 is foldably joined to the other end of side wall 26 along fold line 28 and riser panel 29 is foldably joined to an edge 30 of end panel 27 and of handle panel 16. Bottom panel 31 is foldably joined along fold line 32 to the bottom edge of the side wall 26 and the bottom panel is provided with a medial fold line 33 at the ends of which a pair of notches 34 and 35 are formed.

For the purpose of cooperating with the notches 34 and 35 and thereby to maintain the carrier in set-up condition, a plurality of locking notches 36, 37, 38 and 39 are formed in riser panels 8, 22, 29 and 10, respectively, and perform in a well known manner.

In order to provide transverse separating means for articles disposed on either side of the handle structure, a plurality of straps are provided and in the drawings straps on one side of the carrier are designated by the numerals 40 and 41. Strap 40 is foldably joined to high center portion 1A of side wall 1 along a fold line 42 and to the handle panel 12 along the short fold line 43. In like fashion, transverse partitioning strap 41 is foldably joined at one end to high center portion 1A of the side wall 1 along fold line 44 and at the other end the strap 41 is foldably joined to handle panel 15 along short fold line 45.

The partitioning straps on the opposite side of the carrier are similarly constructed and are designated by the numerals 46 and 47. Strap 46 is foldably joined at one end along fold line 48 to the high center portion 26A of said wall 26 and at the other end strap 46 is foldably joined to handle panel 13 along the fold line 49. Transverse partitioning strap 47 is foldably joined along fold line 50 to the high center portion 26A of side wall 26 at one end of the strap and at the other end thereof the strap is joined to handle panel 16 along fold line 51.

According to this invention, portions of each of the aforementioned transverse partitioning straps are struck out of the straps and in the drawings are designated by the numerals 52, 53, 54 and 55. It will be understood that these medial partitioning struts 52-55, inclusive, extend from the fold lines 43, 45, 49 and 51, respectively, toward but not altogether to the fold lines 42, 44, 48 and 50. While the inner ends of the medial partitioning struts are shown as being curved, it will be understood that any suitable configuration may be employed. Furthermore, the medial partitioning struts are depicted as being struck from the lowermost edges of their respective transverse partitioning straps. This is not a prerequisite of the invention, it being understood that the medial partitioning struts may be struck from the top edges or from material intermediate either edge and disposed centrally of the straps.

In order to form the collapsed carrier depicted in FIG. from the blank depicted in FIG. 2, an application of glue is first made to the blank as indicated by stippling in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the first pair of handle panels 12 and 13 are elevated and swung toward the right simultaneously with the folding of the end panels 4 and 24 upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 5 and 25, respectively. Simultaneously, the riser panels 8 and 22 are folded upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 9 and 23, respectively, so that the inner ends of the riser panels 8 and 22 become adhered to the stippled portion at the left hand ends of the first pair of handle panels 12 and 13. Of course, the parts following this folding operation occupy positions as depicted in FIG. 3. The

folding action as described thus far is well known in the art.

During the folding operation whereby the parts are manipulated from the blank as depicted in FIG. 2 to occupy positions as indicated in FIG. 3, the medial partitioning struts 52 and 54 move over in unison and in the same plane as their respective handle panels 12 and 13 and hence lie in overlapping relationship to the medial partitioning struts 53 and 55, respectively, to occupy positions as depicted in FIG. 3. Since an application of glue has been made to medial partitioning struts 53 and 55, the overlapping portions of the medial partitioning struts 52 and 54 become adhered to the overlapping ends of medial partitioning struts 53 and 55, respectively. According to one feature of this invention, the securing of these medial partitioning struts together as described materially enhances the strength of the carrier along the medial portion thereof immediately below the handle and also, of course, affords a separating partition for the article on one side of the handle in the middle cell from the corresponding article on the other side of the handle panel.

In order to transform the carrier from the condition depicted in FIG. 3 to that depicted in FIG. 4, the bottom panel 31 is folded along the medial fold line 33 by simply folding the lower portion 33A thereof upwardly and over into flat face contacting relation with the upper portion 33B thereof as depicted in FIG. 3. Simultaneously, the riser panel 10 is folded upwardly and toward the left along the fold line 11 so that its inner end is secured in fiat face contacting relation to the handle panel 15. Likewise, the riser panel 29 is folded upwardly and toward the left along fold line 30 so that the inner end thereof is afiixed to the right hand end of handle panel 16. The blank then appears as depicted in FIG. 4.

In order to complete the carrier an application of glue is made to the blank as indicated by stippling in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the side wall 1, glue flap 2, end panels 4 and 6, riser panels 8 and 10 and handle panels 12 and 15 are foldedupwardly and forwardly along the fold lines 14, 17 into flat face contacting relation with the remaining portions of the blank to occupy positions as depicted in FIG. 5, i.e., to form the completed carrier in collapsed condition.

In order to set up the carrier from its collapsed condition as depicted in FIG. 5, it is simply necessary to press inwardly on the end panels 6 and 27 at the fold lines 11, 30 while urging the side walls 1 and 26 toward the right. This action causes the locking notch 34 to engage the notch 36, 37 and also allows the locking notch 35 to engage the locking notch 38, 39. Thereafter, the carrier appears as depicted in FIG. 1.

Since the medial partitioning struts 52, 53, 54 and 55 are secured together in overlapping relation, substantial strength is added medially of the carrier and in the region below the handle panel. This structure also serves as a partition according to one feature of the invention and substantially strengthens the carrier at the fold lines 42, 44, 48 and 50. Furthermore, it is not necessary to strike out a partitioning panel from any one of the handle panels such as 12, 13, 15 or 16 and by this means these handle panels may be made smaller, if desired. Of course, substantial economy is effected in this manner.

The invention is described and shown in conjunction with a carrier of the type having telescoping handles as disclosed in US. Patent 2,537,452. It will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that it is also applicable to carriers of the types disclosed in US. Patents 2,692,700, 2,537,615 and in expired US. Patent 2,318,807.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed side walls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said side walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to said riser panels, at least one transverse partition strap integral with and foldably joined at its outer end to each of said side walls, said straps being spaced from each other in a direction medially of the carrier, said straps being integral with and foldably joined at their inner ends to different plies of said handle, a medial partitioning strut struck out of each of said straps and extending toward each other with their inner ends in overlapping relation, and means securing said inner ends of said struts together.

2. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed side walls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said side walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to said riser panels and having a pair of opposed outer panels arranged in face-to-face relation and a pair of intermediate panels disposed between said outer panels, a pair of transverse partition straps foldably joined to each side wall, each pair of straps being disposed in spaced relation to each other, one of the straps on each side of the handle being foldably joined at its inner end to the corresponding outer panel and the other strap on each side of the handle being foldably joined to the corresponding inner panel, a first medial partitioning strut struck out of one of said transverse partitioning straps, a second medial partition ing strut struck out of another of said transverse partitioning straps which is spaced medially from said one partitioning strap, said struts extending toward each other 5 with their inner ends in overlapping relation, and means 2,776,072 1/1957 Forrer 220113 securing said inner ends of said struts together. 3,031,100 4/1962 Bundy et a1. 220113 3,187,938 6/1965 Holmes 220113 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. 2,702,144 2/1955 Forrer 220 111 GEORGE RALSTON, Examiner- 2,756,900 7/1956 Collura 220-113 

1. AN ARTICLE CARRIER COMPRISING A BOTTOM PANEL, OPPOSED SIDE WALLS FOLDABLY JOINED TO OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, END PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY INWARD THEREFROM, MEDIAL RISER PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED TO SAID END PANELS RESPECTIVELY, THE RISER PANELS AT EACH END OF THE CARRIER BEING SECURED TOGETHER IN FACE CONTACTING RELATION, A MEDIAL MULTI-PLY HANDLE CONNECTED AT EACH END TO SAID RISER PANELS, AT LEAST ONE TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRAP INTEGRAL WITH AND FOLDABLY JOINED AT ITS OUTER END TO EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID STRAPS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER IN A DIRECTION MEDIALLY OF THE CARRIER, SAID STRAPS BEING INTEGRAL WITH AND FOLDABLY JOINED AT THEIR INNER ENDS TO DIFFERENT PLIES OF SAID HANDLE, A MEDIAL PARTITIONING STRUT STRUCK OUT OF EACH OF SAID STRAPS AND EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER WITH THEIR INNER ENDS IN OVERLAPPING RELATION, AND MEANS SECURING SAID INNER ENDS OF SAID STRUTS TOGETHER. 